UNESCO CHAIR: PUBLICATIONS and EVENTS

ISE as a site for Erasmus staff mobility

On 8 May 2013 the Institute of Sustainable Education (ISE) welcomed visitors from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland. The delegation, whose trip to Daugavpils University was supported by Erasmus staff mobility framework, was led by the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Professor Malgorzata Suswillo. The visitors discussed current educational issues with ISE staff and described the practice of teacher training at the Faculty of Social Sciences in their university. The prime asset of the University of Warmia and Mazury is its capacity to offer prospective educators an exceedingly broad spectrum of specialisation which includes early childhood education, social work, special education, rehabilitation and exceptional education as well as school pedagogy with elements of entrepreneurship. The research direction pursued by the faculty is tied to appraising the ways in which Polish education system raises to meet the complex challenges inherent in systemic, global changes of the modern times. ISE staff highlighted the orientation towards sustainability as a way in which education can be remodelled to respond to these transformations.

The academic discussion with ISE staff was followed by a lecture that Professor Suswillo delivered to bachelor and Master’s students of education at Daugavpils University. Meanwhile, the students welcomed the guest lecturers with a puppet theatre show that served to illustrate how the teaching of complex ideas inherent in the sustainability debate can be successfully communicated to preschoolers and junior schoolchildren with drama-infused activities that bridge criticality and creativity.